Can not find a non transport job. HElp!

[Lunar]

Hello folks,
Long time forum stalker first time poster.

A little background:
I have been an emt for about 3 years now. I have only ever worked transport EMS as they were super prominent here in North East NJ and were the only ones willing to hire new grads. About a year ago my transport company (which was complete garbage) was shut down along with alot of other transport companies. I have not worked EMS since. I refuse to go back to these mom and pop transports which use crap/dangerous equipment and refuse to pay overtime. Just not going to do it.

Now the real problem:
I can not seem to get into a dam hospital. I have literally applied to every hospital within a 20 mile radius of me. Nothing. the only reply i have received is a thank you but we arent picking you auto response from H.R. departments. What am i doing wrong? Is it lack of experience? Should i pick up more CEU's? I have a paraphernalia ticket from P.A. but that was 5 years ago. Is that the really problem? GOd i hope not =/ .

I am currently enrolled at my local community college and will hopefully be beginning the Paramedic Program in the fall. Please tell me being a paramedic makes you more employable !

I would appreciate any help from you more experienced guy/gals.

Thanks

Lunar

 

[STXmedic]

Well if a bunch of companies just went out of business, you're going to have flooding of a market that's already usually flooded. There are only so many jobs, especially in the hospitals. Your best bet would be to just keep applying and get into medic school. Your opportunities should open up quite a bit as a medic.

I'm not familiar with NJ, but if there are any extra certs or education classes you can take, that may make you more marketable as well.

Also, don't underestimate the power of a well-articulated email to the right person. My brother got a job as a tech in a sought-after ED when they weren't even hiring. He sent an email to the nursing director expressing his desire to work there, scored an interview, and nailed it. The point: Being proactive can be very beneficial.

And I doubt a paraphernalia charge from 5 years ago would cause you too much trouble.

Good luck.

 

[Lunar]

I appreciate the advice STX. I have noticed that there are consistently two ceu's i dont have that everyone is asking for. Now i just gota find em and afford em! and i really was thinking the paraphernalia charge was holding me back. glad you feel otherwise

 

[TransportJockey]

Which ceus do you need?

 

[Lunar]

WMD awarness for sure and i cant think of the other one off the top of my head

 

[TransportJockey]

Check the fema nims courses online. They're free and the independent study program has lots pf stuff.

 

[Lunar]

Intro to hazmat! thats another one. Good call transport. I dont kow why but once i finished the IS/NIMS i kinda just stopped looking on that sight. still cant seem to find wmd awarness tho
also is it true that we can do CEVO online too?
every time i find a web sight offering it for a price it seems like a really crappy fly by night web sight that my local hacker made to take my cc information :shrug::

 

[EMT707]

Anything to help boost the resume is great. I've found, at least for a good talking point in interviews is my, American Heart Association BLS CPR/AED Instructor card. Was fairly easy to get, two day class here in California (not sure about where you are) and it brings in some cash on the side.

 

[NysEms2117]

Hey lunar, im from NE jersey(bergen, morris, essex county) and you have tried university hospital in newark? or the Newark beth israel MC. Saint joesephs in Paterson is also a MASSIVE hospital and i cant fathom they don't need EMTS/ ER-techs. Have you explored the ER tech route?? Morristown Medical center is also an option potentially. If this is not the right area, feel free to let me know where you are more specifically and as long as it's within NYS or NJ, i might have a good idea.

 

[graycord]

Hello folks,
Long time forum stalker first time poster.

A little background:
I have been an emt for about 3 years now. I have only ever worked transport EMS as they were super prominent here in North East NJ and were the only ones willing to hire new grads. About a year ago my transport company (which was complete garbage) was shut down along with alot of other transport companies. I have not worked EMS since. I refuse to go back to these mom and pop transports which use crap/dangerous equipment and refuse to pay overtime. Just not going to do it.

Now the real problem:
I can not seem to get into a dam hospital. I have literally applied to every hospital within a 20 mile radius of me. Nothing. the only reply i have received is a thank you but we arent picking you auto response from H.R. departments. What am i doing wrong? Is it lack of experience? Should i pick up more CEU's? I have a paraphernalia ticket from P.A. but that was 5 years ago. Is that the really problem? GOd i hope not =/ .

I am currently enrolled at my local community college and will hopefully be beginning the Paramedic Program in the fall. Please tell me being a paramedic makes you more employable !

I would appreciate any help from you more experienced guy/gals.

Thanks

Lunar

Northeast Jersey?

Why don't you try FDNY?

 

[NysEms2117]

@graycord I am genuinely curious so please correct me, I thought the FDNY have a 2-3 year wait list? I honestly don't know, a few buddies of mine work on the jersey side of the hudson (jersey city, West ny, ect.) nobody actually for FDNY.

 

[TransportJockey]

Judging by the forums here, it'll be at least a year before you could get.into the over hyped service that is the fdny

 

[graycord]

@graycord I am genuinely curious so please correct me, I thought the FDNY have a 2-3 year wait list? I honestly don't know, a few buddies of mine work on the jersey side of the hudson (jersey city, West ny, ect.) nobody actually for FDNY.

Judging by the forums here, it'll be at least a year before you could get.into the over hyped service that is the fdny

Well, it depends on what he wants to do.
Does he really want to be an EMT doing 911? If the current plan isn't working, it might be time to consider a different route.
The FDNY waitlist time depends on how many vacancies they need to fill.
Right now, the lists are moving faster than they have in a long time.

And it would look good on a resume if he were to leave after that.

 

[Lunar]

Gentlemen Gentlemen. My heart is beaming with all of this information! I have tried university in newark but not a few others mentioned, it looks like im just gonna have to pull up my skirt and just keep applying keep refining my resume.
I have really considered FDNY and it would be for just that a resume builder but between having to get ny reciprocity doing their civil service and waiting I don't know if it would be worth it.
It would seem i can get the same call volume and same if not better pay working for jersey city. Speaking of Jersey City its not 100% but it looks like i'll be starting their paramedic program in the fall. I have an interview next week for the program and after speaking to a couple of department heads ahead of time its looking really good, so fingers crossed!

I really want to do 911 before and during the medic program. I know medics have a totally different scope but patient and scene assessments are still used as a medic and i really haven't practice that skill much in transport .

NYsEMs i'll be moving to montclair bloom field area but still doing school in Jersey city , so i'm open anything and everything in between. Also man since your in my area where do YOU go to do your ceus? Or is everyone just doing this stuff online?


Guys I can not stress enough how grateful I am for all of this information and just general positivity.

 

[NysEms2117]

I am still in basic school, but I have been volunteering for a while. I have a good friend of mine thats an ER Doc at morristown MC. But I would stick defiantly look at Saint josephs hospital in paterson(other locations include wayne and Totawa(maybe?)), let me know if you would be interested in even applying there, and i can ask him to see what positions are open. Have you even thought of an ER-tech? What are your future plans in the medical field? cues are easiest online i have heard too. If you look around a few threads somebody explains how to do it on the fema site.

 

[Lunar]

End game is probably Physician assistant. So ED-Tech mite be a good resume builder aswell and maybe help me make friends with a PA so i can shadow him/her. I have an 8month at home so I would be willing to apply just about anywhere at this point. I just have a pretty strange schedule since i take care of her during the day so i would need a night or per diem gig even weekends would suffice .

 

[TransportJockey]

I am still in basic school, but I have been volunteering for a while. I have a good friend of mine thats an ER Doc at morristown MC. But I would stick defiantly look at Saint josephs hospital in paterson(other locations include wayne and Totawa(maybe?)), let me know if you would be interested in even applying there, and i can ask him to see what positions are open. Have you even thought of an ER-tech? What are your future plans in the medical field? cues are easiest online i have heard too. If you look around a few threads somebody explains how to do it on the fema site.

It's funny, my gf grew up in lake hopatcong and volunteered in the explorers for Roxbury when she was in hs. Every time I see someone from Jersey, they seem to be from her neck of the woods

 

[NysEms2117]

@TransportJockey what can I say its a great area , Defiantly get a lot of good experiences out here. Maybe you should add NJ EMT-P to your extensive list .

 

[TransportJockey]

@TransportJockey what can I say its a great area , Defiantly get a lot of good experiences out here. Maybe you should add NJ EMT-P to your extensive list .

No thank you, lol. I like my texas third service systems and great protocols and minimal interference from volunteers. Plus she will never go back to NJ I don't think. She likes being on the gulf coast too much

 

[NysEms2117]

Hey! us B's gotta start somewhere, but I can defiantly see how they would get annoying to somebody with such a high training level. Also, back to lunar with this one, I think hospitals will help you in your advancement process if you are an employee. If most state and federal services(corrections in my case) do, I don't see why hospitals wouldn't. So it may actually pay in your case to just become an ER-tech somewhere and let them pay for medic school.